NATO Expert says they do not set any limits to cooperation with Armenia

Armenia's membership of CSTO in no way hampers the cooperation with NATO, Steffen Elgersma, Senior Expert, Euro-Atlantic Integration & Partnership, NATO HQ, told reporters in Yerevan on November 9. 

He said many NATO countries combine participate in other security projects. In this light, he said that NATO and Armenia have already launched a close cooperation, as Armenia actively participates in the Alliance's peacekeeping missions. NATO sets no limits to the cooperation with Armenia, the expert said.  Koryun Nahapetyan, the head of Armenia's Delegation to NATO, in turn, said cooperation of Armenia and the Alliance is developing dynamically. He said Armenia will further participate in the peacekeeping missions to contribute to the international security.

Military cooperation of Armenia and the U.S. and other western countries within NATO IPAP was launched in Dec 2005. In 2011 Armenia increased the number of its peacekeepers in Afghanistan as part of ISAF. An Armenian contingent of 81 servicemen and 5 instructors were deployed in Mazar-e-Sharif.  Inclusive of the contingent in Kunduz, there are over 100 Armenian servicemen under German command in Afghanistan at present.